Healing the Scars
by Wench9
Summary: AU fic set in the Middle Ages about love and the effects it has on people. The scars of the past start to disappear as love starts to appear. But will love be enough to heal them completely? InuKag, SessSan, KouOC, KikOC
1. Default Chapter

Healing the Scars  
  
Inuyasha~ Bastard son of Dai, loner, he's been hurt but he's afraid to show it, he acts like he doesn't care about people (half dog demon)  
  
Dai~ (OC) Noble lord of the land, callous and harsh, raised to be unaffected by the pain of others, he's proud and over bearing (dog demon, uses his human form)  
  
Miroku~ advisor to Dai and Kikyo, he's lecherous but somehow wise (human, cursed with a black hole in his palm)  
  
Sesshomaru~ Oldest son of Kikyo and Dai, off fighting a war on the border of country (dog demon)  
  
Rin~ adopted daughter of Sesshomaru, She loves flowers, lives in the castle even when Sesshomaru isn't there (human child)  
  
Shippo~ Kagome's cousin, his family was killed in front of him, like an adopted son to Kagome (kitsune fox demon)  
  
Kagome~ well bred girl of 16, her mother and brother died when she was 8 in a village raid, her father came to hate her and took another wife, when he became abusive she ran away, started to wander with Shippo, eventually comes to live in the manor (human with miko powers)  
  
Sango~ Female knight, disowned by her family because she ran away to learn to fight, injured in the war, Sesshomaru brings her to his home to heal when she gets injured because they wouldn't treat a woman (human warrior)  
  
Kikyo~ wife of Dai and lady of the manor, beautiful and intelligent but jaded and malicious, she was hurt deeply by a past love and closed off her heart to the world (mostly dog demon, partly wolf demon, uses her human form)  
  
Kouga~ Second son of Kikyo and Dai, initially has a fascination with Kagome, but he eventually accepts that it's not meant to be (wolf demon)  
  
Kaede~ medicine witch in the village she's a healer with herbs but is feared by the villagers, she becomes like Sango's grandmother (elderly human)  
  
Naraku~ lord of neighboring manor, he's a constant threat to our fief and often has small skirmishes with Dai's warriors (spider demon)  
  
Hanii~ (OC) peasant girl who works as servant in manor, becomes good friends with Sango and Kagome, falls in love with Kouga (human)  
  
Plot~ Kagome and Shippo arrive dirty and tired on the doorstep of the manor. Kouga falls in "love" instantly, but it's Miroku's lecherous ways that cause Dai to allow her to stay, as long as she earns her keep.  
  
Miroku is the advisor to Dai, helping him diffuse situations that are potentially explosive. Most of these situations involve a lover and a significant other, which is why Miroku was chosen for the job. Nothing can beat a lifetime of experience, after all. He can't seem to keep his hands off of women, although it isn't a sign of disrespect like it appears to be. It's his way of admiring their beauty, although they don't know this, and it's probably the reason he isn't involved with anyone. The only woman he can control himself around is Kikyo, because he's terrified of her.  
  
Kikyo is constantly on guard and she doesn't let her barriers down for anyone. She's malicious and on high alert all the time, ruining plans and almost ruining relationships. She has a personal vendetta against Inuyasha and Kagome. She hates Inuyasha because he's a reminder of her husband's infidelity, and she hates Kagome because she believes she's a mistress of Dai's. She covers her insecurities and emotional distress with a cold exterior, and she fool everyone but those who know her well.  
  
Kagome longs for a happy and secure home, and she doesn't find it in Dai's manor. She accepts people into her heart reluctantly but once she's accepted someone she's fiercely loyal and caring. She is happy on the outside but she will never be as innocent as she was before she left her home, she's seen too much. She protects Shippo with everything that she has because to her he's both the little brother she lost and the son she hopes to have when she finds true love. In theory she does chores to earn her keep but only Kikyo gives her jobs to do, including the wash, taking care of the injured Sango and shopping for necessities in the village with Hanii. One day while doing the wash she finds Inuyasha and they start talking.this is the start of their romance.  
  
Inuyasha is the barely tolerated son of Dai, but not Kikyo. His mother was a poor peasant woman, but before she died she had a curse cast on the manor-if Inuyasha is ever denied a home there, everyone who has ever set foot inside the manor will die within 24 hours. However, they don't have to make him feel welcome or accepted, and his whole life he's been pushed away because he's half demon. He's been hurt deeply by his family but he'd never admit it. The only person he can open up to the tiniest bit is Kagome and he is wary of doing even this. He fears she'll push him away like everyone else has.  
  
Sango is a lady knight who has been disowned by her family. Only her little brother still writes to her, and he has to do this in secret. She left home to learn to fight because she was sick of being viewed as helpless. Her family discouraged her, but they never said they would avoid all contact with her, something that still haunts her. When she went into battle, she was wounded and the General decided to send her away, loudly and publicly proclaiming he knew that women couldn't fight and she could just go now. Somehow, he managed to send word to her family that she killed her fellow soldiers and blew up a stable out of sheer enmity. Amazing how men can mix up information, isn't it? She is given a horse and told to clear out, but it's obvious she won't make it very far, she's badly wounded and she hasn't had any treatment for it. Sesshomaru hates the General and admires her spirit, so he takes her to his family to be taken care of. However, the General doesn't know this, so he has to do it quickly, giving him no chance to stay with Sango. He orders Kagome to take care of her.  
  
Kouga is the second son of Kikyo and Dai. He is a wolf demon in a family of dog demons, and he never feels accepted. (His Great-grandmother had a lover who was a wolf demon, but she when got pregnant she lied to her husband and told him her family was cursed. However, when her daughter got pregnant for a second time, she had the family placed under an actual curse to keep her husband from realizing the truth.) He doesn't think the same way as the rest of his family, and this upsets him. He relies on his gut feelings and instincts, unlike his domesticated dog demon family. He initially loves Kagome, but when it becomes plain that she loves Inuyasha he gives up. He eventually falls in love with Hanii.  
  
Hanii was raised a peasant and taken to work in the castle as a little girl. She can't recall her family or anything before the age of five, but at night she wakes in a sweat from nightmares that she can never remember. The only time this doesn't happen is when she's sleeping with Kouga, and she realizes she loves him long before he does. She has a warm and loving heart, but she guards it carefully so she doesn't get burned.  
  
Rin is a young girl that was found injured by Sesshomaru and nursed back into health. She was the only survivor of the raid on her village. She regards Sesshomaru as her father and he loves her as though she's his daughter. She lives in the fortress and becomes good friends with Shippo.  
  
Shippo is Kagome's second cousin, by marriage. He is pure kitsune fox, however. He regards Kagome as a mixture of mother and sister rather than as his distant cousin. He witnessed the death of his family at the hands of Naraku's forces, and the images still haunt him. He blames himself, even though he was locked in a closet and witnessed the carnage through a knothole in the wood. The slowly fade as he finds a home where he's loved and taken care of.  
  
Naraku is the lord of the neighboring fief. Many conflicts arise because his men are where they shouldn't be. He caused the death of Shippo's and Rin's families.  
  
Kaede is a healer who specializes in herbs. She's seen life at it's worst and it's hardened her, but it hasn't made her cruel. She becomes a mentor to Sango, Kagome and Hanii, partly because they have all lost a grandmother. However, Kaede isn't the grandmother type. She has an eye patch, wooden leg, and doesn't believe in coddling people. She's painfully honest and acts as an anchor for the girls when they need one.  
  
The village is an easy walk from the manor. The girls go there to pick up the supplies that are needed to make the castle run smoothly. Their friendship solidifies on these long trips to pick up food, cloth and clothing, and other hygienic necessities. They come to trust each other tell each other everything. Kagome gives the other two support and cares for them unconditionally, while Hanii knows exactly what to do to avoid or diffuse Potentially dangerous situations, like those involving Kikyo and Dai, who they have nicknamed "The Evil". Sango is strong and constantly urges the other two to stop holding back, and is the driving force in much of their lives. They would do anything for each other and will never relinquish their friendship.  
  
Kikyo and Dai love each other, but their relationship is strained by Kikyo's envious nature and Dai's wandering eyes. They're constantly fighting about other lovers, real and imagined. They regard their children and servants alike with indifference, caught up in their own problems and emotional wounds. They refuse to allow their sons to date and insist on arranging their marriages, and none of the girls are candidates. They're highly suspicious of all extra-curricular events and are constantly interrupting private moments.  
  
This is a story about the struggles of love and how they change people. People learn to give in, stand up for themselves, let go and hang on. The painful scars of the past start to disappear as love starts to appear. But will love be enough to heal them completely?  
  
~BTW--I don't own, Inuyasha, and none of you are stupid enough to think I do, (I hope) but I have to do this anyway.....*jackass lawyers* Course, if they sued me, they wouldn't get jack shit...  
  
Please review, flame if you want to, I don't care. If you do flame, though, tell me why at least. If anyone has another idea for Kikyo and Dai's nickname, please tell me. And if there's anything else, TELL ME. Don't be nice so you don't hurt my feelings. I want to become a better writer, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what I'm doing wrong! Tell me if you like it or hate it, and don't try to be nice, I don't care, really, just be honest. If something's wrong, or you think I should change something, let me know and I'll try to make it better..... Thanx!!!! ~_~  
  
*R for language and limes* 


	2. Proposals and a Kitsune

Chapter One: Proposals and a Kitsune  
  
i...disclaim...sob..  
  
A teenaged girl arrived tired and dirty at the backdoor of a modest castle, dragging a young kitsune fox behind her. One could tell at first glance that they were travelers, wanderers. Ragged and painfully thin, but still the girl carried herself well, marking herself as a fallen noble. A rarity, certainly, yet still discernable from the peasants even in rags.  
  
"Come on, Shippo," she whispered impatiently to the fox. "It's perfectly safe, and we're both cold. Don't be silly, no one's going to jump out and hurt us. And if they do, don't worry; I'll protect you. All you have to do is run, and I'll catch up." She was trying to coax the little boy onto the steps, where you could feel the heat seeping out of the door. The difference in temperature was almost visible as the heat oozed out of the cracks in the doorway. She wanted to be near that heat, in that heat. She hadn't been properly warm in weeks, not since the frost.  
  
And not since she'd found Shippo, she mused. She hadn't been properly warm since her cousin had started roaming with her. She sighed, knowing she wouldn't travel alone again for mere warmth. And she couldn't do that to Shippo either. It would crush his heart; his sanity wouldn't be able to take another loss.  
  
The subject of her exhausted thoughts spoke. "Kagome, can't we sleep? Somewhere where they won't find us, like the forest," he said, a whine creeping into his voice. "I'm tired." Having been snapped out of her mental ramblings, Kagome sighed. She loved him and she hated to be tough on him, but she was too tired to fight. She shoved him towards the heat. She was near delirium, and she couldn't soothe his fears while combating her own fatigue. So she pushed him; but not roughly, just enough to get him moving. She so rarely pushed that Shippo knew that she was near collapse, and for once didn't argue.  
  
Once she was situated semi-comfortably on the crude stone steps she scooped Shippo up into her lap and encased him in the warm, protective shield her body created. "Go to sleep," she murmured softly to his already dozing ears as.  
  
~  
  
Inuyasha woke as soon as the sun did and mentally kicked himself. He liked to be up and in the hot springs before the sun was out. It gave him a sense of peace to watch the sun rise. And it was the perfect excuse to avoid his family, especially his stepmother Kikyo and half-brother Kouga. He tried not to get into any major fights before he'd eaten his breakfast, but it looked as if today was a lost cause.  
  
He smiled to himself. Or maybe it wasn't. It was still early enough to sneak out to bathe, and if he grabbed some leftovers from the other night then he could stay out until midday at least. His smirk grew a bit as he gathered his clothes for the day, breeches and a loose red over shirt that went almost halfway down his thighs. It was highly unfashionable, but it made no difference to him. It was more comfortable than his formal wear, and more practical. Besides, it was a special one of a kind material- it mended and cleaned itself. The vivid shirt had been a gift from his mother just before she died.  
  
He shook out his long silver hair and tweaked his dog ears, setting everything in order. He ignored his shoes as he crept silently down the hallway where his brother slept so he wouldn't wake him. Those damn hypersensitive wolf ears hear everything. Not looking where he was going, he stubbed his toe and swore heatedly, but he managed to keep his SHIT! to a minimum volume. He crept faster, afraid that he'd woken his half brother, praying that he hadn't.  
  
He made it down to the kitchen and grabbed some rolls leftover from the other night. He viciously ripped a chunk out of one of them; savoring his lack of table manners-and spayed it all over the girl dozing on his steps.  
  
Once he got over the surprise of finding her there, he started to inspect her. She was pretty, he supposed. And she looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, she was hungry. He could hear her stomach rumbling from her neglect. He inhaled deeply and noticed immediately how cold she was, his nostrils were filled with the scent of her low body temperature and- a kitsune!?  
  
He sniffed again and it was definitely a kitsune, albeit a young one, snuggled in her arms and hidden from view. He wasn't as hungry as the girl, and he was significantly warmer. Inuyasha felt a low snarl rise in his throat and started at his reaction. If she wanted to kill herself mothering the kit, it wasn't any concern of his. Why would he care about her, or her greedy little surrogate son? Yet he set the remaining rolls down next to her and popped back inside to get more, which he also left behind. He hoped that she would be all right.then snarled at himself for caring.  
  
~ Kagome woke to soft, moist chunks of something hitting the side of her face, but she didn't move. A few months ago she would've leapt up, ready to fight, but now she didn't even let an eyelid flicker. Maybe if she kept still they would go away long enough for her to get Shippo and herself away. Shippo! Oh damn. What if.? No, they couldn't see Shippo, she realized with relief. She knew that she couldn't move now, it was no longer a possibility, not if she was going to keep Shippo safe.  
  
She vaguely wondered what she would be hung for, witchcraft, thievery or prostitution. She wondered wryly ifs her poverty that made people assume she had de-flowered herself for coins, not that it mattered that they thought she wasn't a virgin. There was no way to prove that she was and she was unlikely to be hung on that charge, witchcraft was easier. It didn't need proof, but still they bodies hung. She'd seen them, and heard the rumors about them. They haunted her in her sleep occasionally, the younger ones. One had looked disturbingly like Shippo, and she'd almost cried for fear that he would be hurt just like the poor boy swinging on the rope.  
  
She wondered how many people had gathered while she'd let her mind wander. She must be tired beyond belief to let her guard down, and she knew it. The door had opened at least three times, and she didn't know how many people had come out each time. She was done for, and every instinct that she posessed vehemently screamed run, but she still had Shippo to protect. So she just froze.  
  
But when she felt something brush against her ear, something that felt like cloth, she couldn't help it. Her breath hitched, and she almost gasped aloud. They would know soon that she was awake; she couldn't keep up the pretense much longer. The stress was beginning to get to her and soon it would begin to show. Still, she could protect her little cousin, so when she opened her eyes she made sure that he wasn't exposed. To her ecstatic delight she was alone except for a figure in red off in the distance.  
  
She started to shift, and pick up the battered red pack that she always carried with her and noticed the rolls. Food! She stuffed one in her mouth and chewed happily. She reached for another and woke Shippo, handing him the rolls that were left. "As soon as you're done eating, we have to go," she told him. "It's not safe anymore." Shippo nodded, but didn't speed up his consumption rate. Kagome was glad that she had a few more minutes to sit, she'd barely slept at all and she longed for a real bed.  
  
~ Kouga had heard his half-brother sneaking out but he didn't move to stop him. He was sore and aching all over, and someone was trying their hardest to split his head down the middle. He only hoped there wasn't a crack already.  
  
He levered himself out of bed and towards the door, Water would help; water and food were what he needed. And then maybe a long soak in some hot water and the special salve the servant girl Hanii had made. She was good with healing. He wished she could heal his stiffness, and swore never to allow his sparring trainer to convince him to fight for a full day again. The improvement in technique wasn't worth the pain afterwards.  
  
By some super-natural phenomenon, he was less sore by the time he got down to the kitchen and a cup of tea had soothed his head. The only hitch in the morning had been waiting for his brother to leave the kitchen; he'd had to duck behind the doorframe and had jarred his head. After gulping down his second cup of tea he inhaled deeply- and froze.  
  
There was someone outside, he could smell them in the breezes Inuyasha had let in. Thieves! They were still there, he realized. If he'd been paying attention he would've heard the feminine voice outside the door, but he hadn't.  
  
He swore at himself and grabbed a steak knife, shoving the pain to the back of his mind. He stalked the door carefully, throwing it open while he stood behind the doorframe. When nothing came hurtling through the doorway, he leapt out-and stopped mid-snarl.  
  
He hadn't been expecting such an innocent-looking girl, and he definitely hadn't expected her to have her back turned. He saw her shove something into an ugly sack and spin around and take a fighting stance, and it made him curious. He sniffed - kitsune, a young one. That explained it, then. She was a mother willing to fight for her young, and it would be disgraceful to kill her. That was law among the pack, because to kill the mother you would kill a defenseless cub.  
  
Instead of killing her like he'd planned he made a sweeping gesture towards the door, wincing slightly at the tension in his muscles. "Come in, please," he told her. As she walked by him warily with a murmured thank you he inhaled deeply. Mmmmmmm. She smelled so sweet underneath the stench she had collected during her travels. For a vagabond she smelled delightful, and definitely preferable to the peasants in the village below, he doubted they ever bathed.  
  
He watched her as she soaked in the warmth of his kitchen and wondered who she was. She was pretty, and he had to admit he admired her fighting spirit. She had adopted the kit, that much was plain. She was much too young to be his mother. She had taken in the kitsune out of the goodness of her soul, then. And she was still a virgin, amazing in a nomadic young girl.  
  
He wondered at his admiration for a human girl, and then decided it went beyond admiration. He was attracted to her, and he barely knew her. That was a definite sign, and he had to follow his instincts, it was ingrained too deeply into his nature not to. He admired her loyalty and determination, her bravery and her morals. But above all he loved her caring heart. His only fear was that she would move on without ever finding out how he felt about her. He weighed his options, and decided on the direct route. Proposal.  
  
~  
  
Kagome was amazed. When she'd been jumped by the wolf demon, she'd been seized by a debilitating panic. The only thing that kept her from running away was the danger to Shippo. What if he'd chucked that knife as she was running away? She couldn't take that risk. But when she'd prepared to fight him, he lowered the knife and invited her inside.  
  
She knew it was stupid, but she was cold and he still had that knife. For all she knew, he was a madman killer who was just waiting for her to turn her back and could be set off by anything. Don't be so stupid, Kagome. You're definitely too tired if you're starting to think like that she told herself, and stepped inside.  
  
As soon as she was inside all her fears, misgivings and even her thoughts dissipated. It was so warm; she hadn't felt this comfortable in the longest time. And the smells! She felt like if she could just live off of them as the ache in her belly subsided. She'd forgotten how comforting kitchens were, all cozy and pleasant-smelling. She had everything she could possibly need at that moment, she thought.  
  
Well, not everything, nagged a voice in the back of her head. Your gown still has a rip above your breasts and all of the way up the hemline of your skirt. You're still hungry, still haven't had a warm bath in moons and you still have no way to provide for Shippo. And in case you forgot, there's a potentially vicious demon with a large knife standing directly behind you. Kagome sighed. The voice in her head could be a real bitch sometimes, but she was undeniably helpful, and almost always right. She hated her.  
  
Focus, Kagome, she snapped at herself. Now wasn't the time to fight with herself, when she could have to fight off the demon standing directly behind her. She turned around to thank him and be on her way, although it was a shame she couldn't at least get Shippo a bath. She turned to bid him adieu and to her shock found him on one knee as he snatched up her hand. She didn't like where this was going and she could feel her face get heated. She closed her eyes as a barrier against the throbbing migraine that had suddenly arisen. Please don't let this be what I think it is.  
  
~  
  
Shippo wasn't happy. Who was this wolf guy anyway? And what did he want with Kagome? She was like his mama, and if she got together with the wolf jerk she might send him away, or have some kits of her own. Then at best he'd become her annoying little second cousin.he almost cried right there in the pack. She couldn't leave him too.  
  
He shook himself before he could get too upset, that wouldn't help. Kagome wasn't going to accept his proposal; she couldn't possibly want to stay with the sleazebag. He waited in silent agony until to his immeasurable relief he heard "I.um.I don't really know you.at all.I'm sorry.but um.I can't."  
  
Shippo almost cried with relief. He meant more to her than food and a warm bed, a cozy home with clean clothes and regular baths and.He let that thought go before he started to feel guilty about keeping all of that from her. Firmly he told himself that all that mattered was that she'd said no. She'd said no! He was so happy he wanted to shout, because right then he knew that Kagome loved him.  
  
~  
  
Miroku groaned and rolled over. Another day in the service of Dai. He sighed; he hated his job. But he needed the work and he was needed here. Dai was lost without him and the marriage of Kikyo and Dai would've been broken without his guidance. He was an expert at squeezing out of uncomfortable situations, having been in so many himself.  
  
He made his way down the hall towards the privy out in the back. He was just about to go through the kitchen when he heard Kouga talking to a girl. She sounded young, and fairly pretty. He had a moment of panic; what if it was a girl he'd been with who had somehow gotten pregnant? Or maybe she was just out to get revenge for herself. He gulped nervously.  
  
Then he heard Kouga say, "You have a loving and loyal spirit, and within you beats the heart of a wolf. We were meant to be, it was fate that you came to my door. Will you be my mate?" and sighed with relief. She wasn't out to get him, then. He wasn't going to have to pay for the weekend in the village yet at least. She didn't sound like any of the girls in the village, anyway, he should know. He'd made a point of talking to all of them.  
  
But if she isn't here for me, then why is she here? Kouga's not involved in any courtships at the moment.and why would she meet him here, and so early? It just doesn't make any sense. He puzzled over that for a few minutes before he realized that the second heir to his father's lands could have a mistress. Miroku felt a surge of pride thinking about how the boy was growing up. He'd found out how to be happy, learning that women were happiness. Without them, the world would be lost.  
  
Although he was going about it in all the wrong way. He shouldn't propose without introducing her to his parents, and until the courtship was formal it was pure folly to meet in his kitchen where servants and family members could find out and put a stop to it. Servants like him.  
  
He didn't want to discourage Kouga from the direction he was heading in, but it was his duty. Maybe if I give him a few pointers, help him out a tiny bit, he thought. He needed to learn to be more discreet about his affairs.  
  
So Miroku stepped out from behind the doorframe, having missed Kagome's refusal. He feasted his eyes on the girl whose hand Kouga had coveted. Pretty, with a nice, if somewhat lean figure and long black hair. She had big brown eyes and was clutching an ugly yellow pack as if it were her only anchor in the middle of a tempest.  
  
His hand itched with longing. She had curves that were mean to be touched, he felt it would be a crime not to. Besides, his hands often had an independent mind. Predictably he found himself introducing himself to her by shaking her hand with one of his hands and resting his other hand hospitably on her rear. "Hello," he said, inclining his head. "I'm Miroku."  
  
He could tell at first glance that Kouga didn't like that. Rage was building on his face and working itself into a full-force gale. Miroku sighed; he almost wished that he hadn't done that. But he could still feel the imprint of her curves on his hand even though he'd broken the contact. He decided it was worth enduring the rage of his young master.  
  
And sure as rain, it came. "How dare you touch my mate? You perverted ass! You jackal's bitch! She's my woman and she doesn't need you to feel her up! What makes you think it's alright to do that to my fiancé?" He ranted a bit more, getting very creative with his cursing. Miroku hadn't known at least half of the things that Kouga was saying could be used like that.  
  
"I apologize, milord. I hadn't realized that you were to be mated." Kouga was still looking fairly murderous and Miroku decided that he would prefer apologizing further to anything that Kouga could do if he wanted to. So, out of self-preservation, he added "I'm sorry to you as well, milady. Please understand that I mean no disrespect, and you have a beautifully shaped body. Please accept my apology, .?" He looked to Kouga to supply him with a name, hoping to appease his anger by stoking his pride. Kouga looked blank, however, and it was the girl who spoke.  
  
~  
  
Kagome felt dizzy. She'd just been fed, invited into a warm house, proposed to, felt up, defended by her 'mate' and then apologized to by one of the politest looking men she had ever seen. It was definitely enough to make anyone's head spin. She clung to consciousness desperately, refusing to faint, that would show weakness that could get her killed. She hadn't had nearly enough to eat at any point in the past two months and she was exhausted, having slept almost as scantily as she'd eaten.  
  
She heard the subtle request for her name and tried to say "Kagome" but it barely got past her tongue. She tried again. "My name is Kagome." And something, she wasn't sure what, made her add, "Is there somewhere my kit and I could rest? And possibly bathe? Please?"  
  
To her surprise, the wolf demon-was Kouga his name? Kouga said, "Of course you can stay here. Come upstairs with me and I'll show you where you can sleep." She followed him up the long staircase and down the hall, fighting to keep her eyes open. She told him that she would rather sleep fully clothed than naked, (apparently unlike him) thank you anyway. She sank into the pillows and lost consciousness almost immediately.  
  
KK I just want to say if I'm wrong bout the Fire-rat Robe (a shirt in my story), please tell me, I really don't know that much about it. And also, Kagome's going to be a little kick-ass in my fic. Not too bad, but she's been on her own for a while and I think that she would've learned to protect herself, or at least Shippo. And their son-mother role is a little bit exaggerated, but please take into account that Kagome's had some life-changing experiences, and her personality will be affected.  
  
I apologize if I confused anyone with Kikyo's character description, she's not a hanyou, she's all wolf demon. She uses her human form, no ears or tails or anything interesting. Her husband Dai is the same-a wolf demon in denial.  
  
Many thanks to The 2nd Epiphany, Shero and lilblossom82 for reviewing. As for the rest of you.*blows loud raspberry* ^_^  
  
And I'm sorry that I took so long to update, but I almost had it all ready to post when we got a new program, which kicked out the old one which I'd saved the chappie on, which made it corrupted, which means that I couldn't get on it which meant that I had to type it all over. Which made me pissed. Damn computer.  
  
*Midday-lunch  
  
*Privy-outhouse, bathroom 


	3. Contemplations and Deceit

~~CHAPTER 2~~  
  
~The Borderlands:  
  
The first thing that registered in Sango's mind was the taste. The taste of blood, coppery and foul in her mouth. She blinked groggily and tried to force herself up to get a drink of water to rinse out the taste-and collapsed back onto her pallet, almost blacking out.  
  
She lay a moment and tried to remember exactly what was going on. There was a sharp, slicing pain radiating around her core and she could barely see through the red clouding her vision. She blinked to clear her vision, remembering her training. A blind knight was less useful than a dead one.  
  
She slowly sat up, looking around her. She was in her tent; stripped of her armor but-silently she offered a thankful prayer to her god- not of her tunic or leggings. She knew she needed medical treatment if she was going to continue fighting, and sitting and nursing her wounds wasn't much help to her battalion.  
  
Her stomach growled loudly and she realized that some of her strength would come back with food and water. She licked her cracked lips, thinking of how wonderful the water would taste, and how it would rinse out the blood. She slowly levered herself upright and unsteadily limped out the door, hoping to regain the feeling in her left leg soon.  
  
The camp was nearly deserted, she noted, and it was dark. She must have woken up sometime in the middle of the night, she realized despairingly. She'd hoped to get news from someone, but that didn't look possible just then. She sighed. I hope there's some food somewhere, she thought. Or at least some water the horses don't have first claim to.  
  
She pushed aside the flap for the mess tent and hobbled inside, clutching her side. She must have been wounded pretty badly, but she didn't remember getting the wound. She remembered fighting with an adversarial soldier, and finally unslinging Hiraikotsu and attacking. She loved her giant bone boomerang, it was one-of-a-kind as far as she knew, and it had saved her ass more times than she could count. Then she remembered a strange sensation at her back-and waking up with a foul taste in her mouth.  
  
She found some bread and cheese and nibbled while taking large gulps from a half-empty flagon of poor-quality wine. When she was done, she felt stronger and more alive than she had before. She felt well enough to inspect her wound, and did so.  
  
She gasped when she saw it. She hadn't expected that it would be that bad. After all, it really didn't hurt enough for it to look so bloody and mangled. She wet a rag and set her jaw, preparing herself to wipe away the blood. She felt a rush of pain like she'd expected to, but she was more sickened by the way her skin seemed to shift and slide where the gash was. She wondered again how she'd been cut, she'd thought her fellows were at her back.  
  
She was wrong, she decided as she limped back to her tent to get some clean rags to bind her injury. She walked carefully so as not to jar her body, concentrating on the ground and on replaying the battle scene in her mind. She hated to see death, and she hated to cause it even more, but most of her foes had been demons, and she could handle their deaths, if it was for a good cause. But something just didn't sit right with her about how she'd gotten the gash in her side. She puzzled over it as she made her painful way back to her tent, and failed to notice that a light was on in one of the tents. It was after lights out, and it was prohibited to have the telltale glow on in one's tent after hours.  
  
~  
  
The general paced his tent, debating whether he should send his letter or not. The Lady Knight had in actuality shown exemplary courage and fighting skills, but if he let her set a precedent soon his camp would be overrun with women. And that wasn't the way of things, to have ladies underfoot, needing to be catered to in the middle of a battlefield.  
  
He felt quilt, as any good Christian man should, but he also knew it was for the best. She would be happier at home, settled down with a family to raise, as a woman should. How could he feel that what he was doing was wrong if it was just the natural way of things? He had lied shamelessly about her conduct and adeptness with weapons, and said she had been a betrayer, it was true. But still, she was the first female to become a knight, and he had to squash it.  
  
If it became a fad, he would soon be overrun with giggling females who found it fashionable to pretend they could fight. Yes, it's the only way. It will save the country, he thought. And his homeland and his king came before anything else in his life. So he said that the woman was a disrespectful harlot with a glib tongue and a disregard for the safety of her group, and that she had betrayed their whereabouts for coin, it made no difference. To save the world, truths could be altered. And so he twisted reality, reversed it, and sent off the evidence to his King, to do with it what he saw fit.  
  
And in the morning, he told himself; he would get the woman to clear out. She could make the ride back to her Keep with the scratch he had given her, he hadn't cut her that deeply. And the sooner she was proven a failure, the sooner he could set the world straight again. She had failed on her probation. It was now illegal for women to become knights; she'd been the one to prove that. He'd made sure of it. And in the morning, regardless of her condition, he was clearing her out.  
  
~ Sesshomaru was worried. He couldn't get to sleep as his thoughts seemed to nearly tumble through his head, completely the opposite of their usual conduct. As the lord of the western lands (his father still controlled the manor but he'd relinquished the lands to his eldest son) he knew he shouldn't care about a pathetic human. But he was struck by the unfairness of what had happened to the Lady Knight.  
  
He'd heard the general talking with one of the other soldiers and with his sensitive ears he'd heard everything. The man was writing a letter to the crown prince that said that Lady Sango had betrayed the army and lacked scruples or fighting skills. He'd made the woman out to be some kind of traitorous harlot, which was exactly the opposite of the truth.  
  
Sango was brave, gracious and had a keen sense of right and wrong. Like some humans, she disliked killing, but still she did it, and did it well for her country and for her honor. She hadn't shirked in battle and the general had struck her down from behind, after he betrayed their location. And now she was to be sent home in disgrace in the morning without more than a day to rest, and her wound untended. He would be easy prey for travelers, and she would be lucky if she survived long enough to be attacked by bandits.  
  
He normally didn't care about humans, knowing that they were low-level scum. It was bad enough that he'd weakened and opened his heart to Rin, although he wouldn't give up his foster-daughter for anything. He didn't need to look any further than their treatment of the Lady knight to know that people were weak and pathetic, always afraid that they could be overpowered. Nonetheless, he decided that in the morning he would take Sango to his father's castle to heal her wounds. It was the least he could do for her, after she'd shown such an admirable spirit. A warrior's spirit, so very rare among the human race. And she didn't deserve to be treated that way. It grated on his nerves. Hardly anything ever grated on his nerves, and he was always surprised when he felt the need to right a wrong. He had no qualms taking the house of a lazy peasant, or their food for the winter if they under-produced. But he didn't go back on his word, or compromise his honor. And unlike his general, he didn't compromise the honor of others. Honor was sacred.  
  
In the morning, he would make sure she was safe. Even if it meant disobeying his orders and taking her to his manor, he would make sure that bastard didn't take everything from her. She was a fellow warrior, and he was duty bound to help her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
OK, I know it's a little short and melodramatic, and Sesshomaru's kinda OOC but I'm trying!  
  
And also to my ONLY reviewer (shame on you all!) NO!! Kouga's not wacko-I love that insane jerk!  
  
And im sorry I took this long to update I'm kinda sorta grounded and this is the first chance I got to sneak down and finish-don't forget about me!!  
^_^  
  
Keep-castle; manor 


	4. Home again?

Chapter #3  
  
Hanii blew a stray wisp of hair out of her face as she folded one of her Lady's gowns. She often wondered how Kikyo went through so many clothes so often; owning a total of three dresses herself. She'd been doing the laundry for the noble household for about ten years and the Lady Kikyo wore as many clothes as the Lord and his three sons did.  
  
She groaned and lifted her crate containing the laundry. She always brought a crate when doing Kikyo's wash; it wouldn't be possible to get them inside off of the clothesline and inside the manor without one. Kikyo was constantly putting her to the hardest chores, and Hanii knew why. But it wasn't possible to address her lady about the issue, and Hanii herself wanted it to lie in the background. She could bear the extra work, but the memories would kill her if she talked about it, she was sure of it.  
  
She sighed as she brought her crateful of clothed into the manor, trying to snap herself out of her treacherous train of thought. She focused on her tasks ahead of her.  
  
She would need to put the gowns away, straighten up her Lord and Lady's chambers, and then help with the cooking. The cooking was her second favorite task, because she could talk and gossip with her friends while they prepared the meal.  
  
The only thing that she had a real talent for was healing, however, and she was running short on salves. Maybe she could make more when the stew was on simmer...she drifted off, lost in the world of medicine and memories. She didn't notice when she wandered into Master Kouga's room by mistake-but she did notice the strange girl sleeping in his bed, wearing one of his shirts.  
  
She felt a blush stain her cheeks and left the room quickly, determined to mind her own business. If she got caught, the beating would be inevitable, but she was afraid that her lord would do much worse. It was within his power to do anything he wished to her, and he needed no excuses. She hurried down the hall. The only person that she was truly afraid of was her Lord Dai, and she wouldn't risk upsetting him.  
  
Kouga was beginning to worry. His mate was still sleeping, four hours later. She'd appeared to have just woken up when he found her outside, and he didn't understand it. He wanted her to wake up so they could go over the statistics of their lives together. And he'd never asked her if she wanted one of those human marriages. If she did, he was confident that he could talk her out of it-he hoped.  
  
He was still lost in his thoughts an hour later when Kagome woke up. She was so warm and comfortable, it took her a minute to realize that she wasn't back home, asleep in her old bed.  
  
No, it's not my home anymore. And I'm never going to go back. I just can't- besides, I wouldn't be welcome there. Even if I were, I wouldn't go back, Kagome told herself. But still she was hit with a wave of memories that she'd kept at bay. She fought down tears as she remembered why she'd left, and why she couldn't go back.  
  
Kouga coming in to check on her, and asking if she needed anything snapped her out of her misery. And he was asking her if she needed a chapel wedding to verify their status in her mind, or if the ancient traditions of demonic mating would be enough for her. She tried again to tell him that they couldn't be together, this time armed with an excuse.  
  
"Look, I'm already involved with someone. He's really nice, and I couldn't hurt him like that. Not that you aren't nice, but...I can't." The finish left something to be desired, she knew, but she was hoping that he would accept her excuse. Hoping that he would believe her excuse.  
  
He did, but it didn't have the effect that she'd wanted it to have. "Really? You are? What's his name, where can I find him?" He seemed almost happy. Kagome didn't understand. He knew that she'd told him she wouldn't mate with him, not that they could have a threesome, right?  
  
She shook her head; she'd spent altogether too much time around the perverted underbelly of society. (In the feudal ages, that was REALLY low) But still, he didn't seem to understand. "You know that I said that I couldn't get involved with you, right?" she tried again.  
  
"Yea, but I understand now. And all I have to do is find this guy, and kill him. Because then there won't be anything else to stand between us, and you can become my mate." She stared at him in shock. Why did she tell him that? What did she do to some poor guy that she didn't even know? He'd be out for blood, and all she'd wanted was to put NO in terms that he would understand, and 'I'm taken' had seemed to be the kind of thing that he would get. She sighed and shifted positions on the pallet, accidentally waking Shippo.  
  
Shippo was pleasantly warm, and surprisingly un-hungry. "Kagome?" he asked sleepily, drawing himself out of his dream world. He looked up, and saw that Kagome was already awake-and already talking to that demon who wanted to marry her.  
  
Shippo felt a flash of possessive jealousy. Hadn't the demon gotten the hint? Kagome didn't love him. If she did, the situation would be different, but she'd denied him when he'd asked her to be his mate. Didn't the guy get that?  
  
Apparently not, Shippo thought as Kouga asked Kagome to come meet his mother and tell her the good news. He sweatdropped, he was sure kagome had said no to his advances at least twice.  
  
Unless-What if Kagome had accepted while he'd been sleeping? He wouldn't know, obviously, and it was possible that she'd changed her mind now that she'd seen how she could have a comfortable family life. He knew that she longed for one, although she never said anything. He could see it in her eyes when she let down her defenses. He didn't want to deny her her happiness, but he couldn't bear being alone in the world. Not again.  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Yea, yea, so I'm foreshadowing something bad in Hanii's past, (something NOT in the prologue, I just thought of it) and friction between her and Kikyo, so what? And yes, there will OBVIOUSLY be rumors about Kouga and Kagome; she's sleeping in his bed. People are going to wonder, and then they're going to talk. Get over it.  
  
And I'm not sure how Shippo would react to Kouga like this, so he's going to be obsessive-protective most of the time, but he'll probably come to terms with the idea. Eventually.  
  
And yes, this is a boring chappie, I know...but it gets better, really! This is just to hold the story together, and to introduce Hanii. For the boneheads who don't read prologues.  
  
And thank you, Demongirl6381, and yea, you're right. But you try to make the villain a hero!!! It's not so easy if he's going to stay evil...but thanx for reviewing!!!!  
  
*evil glare * MOST of my readers don't review... 


	5. Settling in

Chapter 4:  
  
In case any of you were wondering, I haven't miraculously gained possession of Inuyasha or any of the other characters. Damn. I was so hoping to have 'em by now.  
  
Flashback:  
  
Lord Sesshomaru of the western lands, Son of Dai the Cruel, held a dying little girl in his arms. The instance was unusual, but not unheard of. He'd killed many humans, children and adults alike. However, this child was different.  
  
She was the one who'd taken care of him when he'd been wounded and left for dead by his commanding officer. Sesshomaru had later avenged himself, of course, and the man would never lead again, but without the weak child he held in his arms, none of that would be possible.  
  
He almost smiled, remembering how he'd insulted her, and threatened her when she'd tried to help him. He'd refusing to take help from a human girl, not wanting to be seen as weak. But none of that had discouraged her, and now she was seriously injured. He had to repay his debt.  
  
He'd taken her back to the castle and left her in the care of the maid/healer Hanii. However, he would never know why he'd saved her. He despised the wretched worms that called themselves humans. That would never change.  
  
Present:  
  
Sesshomaru raced home, holding the wounded warrior in his arms. She'd survived on horseback until the bandits had attacked her. She'd killed two of them and spurred on the horse, but the strain opened her self-doctored wound and about a mile away she'd passed out from blood loss.  
  
That had been when he'd begun to carry her. All the time he was speeding towards the fief he wondered at the repetitive pattern of his saving human females. He wasn't the kind of man who believed that females couldn't take care of themselves; he'd seen too many instances that contradicted that mindset. It just seemed that he couldn't take the males who made their way in life so hard. (although on more than one occasion he'd been one of them)  
  
He was at the manor when he spotted a girl in servant's garb, smelling of cleansers and the kitchens. "You, maid!" he called imperiously. "She is grievously wounded, and if she dies, it will be your head. And keep in mind that not once in my lifetime have I made an idle threat." He thrust the limp Sango into the girl's arms and sped back to his battalion, before the two-faced general could recognize that he'd been gone longer than he was due to be.  
  
~ Kagome stared at the strange girl in dismay. She didn't know very much about healing, but it was her duty to obey the nobles in the household. Only a day ago she'd become a stand-in maid, after refusing Kouga again. His mother had been deadest against the match, telling him gently that he couldn't simply marry some waif off of the streets. He was a noble with a strong, proud lineage and she was street trash.  
  
Kagome didn't tell her that she was in fact of noble blood, and of a house twice as grand as their own. She didn't tell them that she was an excellent archer and a devoted surrogate mother, and that she had survived "on the streets" for nearly a year, but hadn't lost any of her redeeming qualities, besides a little bit of weight.  
  
She did tell them that she was a hard and honest worker, and that she was tired of wandering and would gladly accept a post in their household if they would provide for Shippo. She also told them that she was sorry to refuse Kouga (who was listening to the whole conversation, standing right next to his parents) but she would still like to stay at the manor.  
  
Te Lord (encouraged by Miroku) readily decided that they didn't need to throw her back out to the mercy of the thieves and cutthroats. She found it amusing that they didn't think that she could take care of herself like she'd been doing for so long, but if it got her a bed, hot bath and a decent meal she wouldn't complain.  
  
She also like what it meant for Shippo. Part of the deal of her servitude was that Shippo got to stay and be treated fairly, and she had no complaints in that area. He'd even found a friend, a little girl called Rin.  
  
Kagome herself had found a friend, another servant by the name of Hanii. Hanii had found her looking lost when Kikyo, the Lady of the manor, had given her a long list of chores to accomplish. Kagome got the feeling that Lady Kikyo wanted to be rid of her as soon as possible.  
  
But Hanii had helped her find the things that she needed and even shown her how to do a few of the things that Kagome didn't know how to do, like saddle a horse. Kagome had been a curious child, but never that curious. Kagome found Hanii's knack for healing amazing. Kagome knew that it was Hanii that she would ask to help her heal the injured woman.  
  
Kagome had her upstairs by that time and was stripping the clothing off of her upper body, where the bleeding was. The woman was wearing a breastband, probably to keep her breasts out of the way while she was fighting.  
  
It appeared as though she'd also had someone attend to her wound, although Kagome doubted that they'd known what they were doing. She removed the makeshift bandage and gently sponged off the blood with water and a gentle soap, to remedy infections.  
  
That was where her knowledge stopped, however. She didn't know the best way to bandage the wound, or what salve to put on it. She left her lying on the bed, unconscious, and went to find her friend.  
  
~ Inuyasha sat in his favorite tree, thinking. He'd never expected to see the girl again, but when he'd gotten home she was scrubbing his kitchen floor. She'd bathed and gotten newer, less torn clothes, but it was definitely the same girl. She'd smelled more content, and healthier than she had before, and none of that explained why she was washing his floor.  
  
He'd been so surprised that he'd let the door slam, unlike his usual gentle closing so as not to alert his relations that he'd returned. She'd looked up, shocked, and he'd been struck by the way her hair glinted in the firelight when it was clean.  
  
She'd smiled at him, and he'd been thrown off-balance. Her smile wasn't the usual seductive leer of the village girls trying to snag a rich noble to pluck them out of their impoverished state, or the cold duty-born smiles that he got so often at formal events. It was warm and welcoming, and it made him feel accepted for the first time in recent memory.  
  
"Hi! I'm so glad to see you again; I wanted to thank you for the rolls that you gave to Shippo and me. I-we really appreciate you helping us out like that." Even her voice had been warm and accepting.  
  
He was thrown off-balance for a second time, and decided he'd that this girl wasn't good for him. She kept catching him off guard, and that left chinks in his armor. Chinks that things could fly through and kill his carefully composed exterior. The last time he'd opened up to someone, he'd been hurt so badly he knew that he could never let anyone into his heart. And he would never be accepted into theirs.  
  
"Feh. I only did it so you'd go away. Stupid wench, sittin' on my steps like you own the place, you and your little fox-thief. I threw you a few stale crumbs so you wouldn't come raid my kitchens." He known that he was lying, and he was pretty sure that she did also, but it would probably make her angry anyway.  
  
He sighed; he'd only said that so that he wouldn't seem weak. The weak were always the first to die, something he'd been taught at a young age. It was the most valuable lesson that he'd ever learned from his mother.  
  
He'd watched her face lose her warm, open quality and become more like the cold, hard mask that he'd grown so used to. He wondered why on her it had scared him, and also why he felt a twinge of sorrow. He had always pushed people away, it was what he'd done most of his life.  
  
"Alright, if that's how you want to be. Although I'm not a wench, my name is Kagome, and if you ever insult my cousin like that again I will make you very sorry." She seemed to bite her cheek then, but he wasn't sure what he saw. "Have a good evening, m'lord." And with that she'd ducked her head and renewed her scrubbing with extra vigor.  
  
Inuyasha had been shocked. M'lord? As in My Lord? She wasn't his servant, and she wasn't a peasant. She was just a wanderer, wasn't she? A homeless waif? He mulled over the puzzle in his mind.  
  
But if she was a servant, that would explain how she'd gotten a hot bath and new clothes, and why she was cleaning his floor. They had been short- staffed lately, his step-mother had often complained to his father about their servants not finishing their tasks.  
  
'Why, the other day, I had to bring in my own laundry from the line outside and make my own bed! You simply mustn't let them be so lazy, Dai dear.'  
  
Inuyasha sighed. He hoped that she wasn't their new servant, that girl had a temper that he'd never before seen in a peasant girl. And the episode between them would cause friction. He sighed. Stupid bitch, why did she choose my home? And why does she care about what I call her, I'm sure she's used to it. Girls are so damned complicated.  
  
~  
  
Kagome blew a wisp of hair out of her face. She shouldn't have lost her temper like that, not with the son of her employers. Although she hadn't said half of what she'd wanted to, and he'd been so rude. In all honesty, she only mildly cared what he called her, but insulting Shippo was another thing. He didn't even know him, how dare he call him a thief! Shippo hadn't stolen anything since she'd found him, and before that he'd been starving, and still he only stole scraps and leftovers!  
  
She took a deep, calming breath, the kind that her archery instructor had taught her. She was getting all worked up, and fighting with the family who had allowed her to stay, and take care of Shippo, was a bad idea. So instead, she reminded herself of all of the reasons that she had to be happy for what she had.  
  
She had new clothes, and although the bosom was low-cut, something she suspected the monk of picking out on purpose, it was definitely much better than her old, tattered dress with the rips up the sides that revealed her legs and the missing chunk of cloth that had previously been directly above her breasts. It had been all she could do to keep them from hanging out of the garment and swinging freely in the breeze.  
  
And she was clean now! They had hot springs on their land, and she'd been allowed soap to wash herself and Shippo with. She remembered walking into the grove, escorted by Kouga who had been very hard to convince that she could bathe unsupervised.  
  
The wild beauty of it took her breath away, and it seemed to pulse with a fey magic. It was one of those rare, untouched places in the woodlands that would stay that way no matter what happened around it. She'd felt guilty disturbing the peace and bathing there, but her guilt had swirled away in eddies of the stream as she once again enveloped herself in the warm water. She sighed again, remembering the sheer and simple bliss of a bath. Even Shippo had enjoyed it, and he used to hate baths.  
  
She smiled to herself, and even began to hum as she worked, her good mood fully restored. That was the position Miroku found her in, and he paused on his way out the door to admire her, with her pretty voice and dreamy smile. He sighed, and wished for a second time that Kouga hadn't claimed her for his mate. He would've liked to get to know her more intimately.  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `  
  
OK, here's the thing. You people SUCK at reviewing. What do I have to do, wear a big sign that says "Please Review, and I Accept Flames"? God, people! REVIEW THE FUCKIN' STORY! 


	6. Double edged Daggers

Chapter 5:  
  
I still don't own Inuyasha but when I have taken over the world I will, and then you will all pay!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!...ha  
  
Kikyo swept downstairs, silks rustling, as she surveyed her household. As lady of the manor it was her duty to make sure that things went as they were supposed to, but she despised it. She surveyed the undusted banister and tried to remember what servant was in charge of the dusting, but she knew so few names that it didn't work.  
  
She hated to be a dutiful wife to her husband, in charge of paltry things like un-dusted staircases. Dai had never been a dutiful man, always off romping with a new tramp. She knew he was unfaithful, and it grated on her nerves. There just wasn't a thing she could do to stop it.  
  
She walked into the kitchen and saw the new maid her husband had hired. New mistress as well, no doubt, said a devilishly cruel voice in the back of her brain. She was a young, pretty, slender thing with large, soulful eyes. Virgin material, the kind her husband loved to desecrate.  
  
But hadn't Kouga wanted her for his wife? He most likely wouldn't want his father's leftovers, not to mate. The girl had to have been blameless when she was hired, but Kikyo had serious doubts as to her innocence now. She felt her nostrils flare and fought to control her temper.  
  
So this girl would take away her son and lie with her husband, then? Not if Kikyo had anything to do with it. She'd already been given some of the more difficult tasks, and there were plenty more that needed doing. She would be driven out of the manor within the month if Kikyo tried hard enough.  
  
Maybe a trip to the village daily, or weekly, to stock up on supplies, would chase her away. The long, difficult trek would wear her down quickly, and she would be weighted down on the way back. Of course, that could take her all day, but it was sufficiently difficult to drive her to exhaustion.  
  
Kikyo turned heel and walked away. Who needed some little slut living in their house and sleeping with their mates? She certainly didn't.  
  
~  
  
Kouga was running with his wolves. He loved them and it helped soothe his normally wild disposition, which he had to keep in check with his family. He could become seized with a bloodlust if he wasn't careful, and although his family was a pack of dog demons, there were others in his house as well. Humans, who wouldn't survive if the desire to roam and feed wasn't sated.  
  
As domesticated demons, his family didn't feel the need to rip and tear and kill and savage that could overtake him as strongly as he did. They could better control their demonic urges. The lower-level demons, the ones who seemed to lack intelligence, often went around blindly, in a destructive rage. The smarter a demon was, the more controlled his savagery and strength.  
  
He made his way back to his dwelling, using his abnormally advanced speed and arriving minutes later. He walked in the back way and saw his mate on the floor, scrubbing the tiles. Her arms had to be stronger than they looked to clean so much of the floor so fast, he thought, noticing how most of the floor was wet and grime free.  
  
He quietly shut the door and walked over to her as silently as he could. He wasn't loud enough to be detected by human ears, because of all the hunting he did with his pack. He scooped her up in his arms, holding her in the style of a traditional carrying-over-the-threshold position.  
  
She gave a small gasp of alarm and her body immediately went stiff and defensive. She lashed out at him, and he knew that he would probably have a bruise where she hit him for at least a month. She catapulted herself out of his arms and was staring at him in shock and horror.  
  
"OH! Oh no! Oh gosh, oh my god! I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you, it was a reflex! I didn't mean to hurt you! Oh I'm so sorry! It was just...well; I thought that you were probably another sleaze-rapist or something. No, not you, I didn't know it was you! I just forgot to not be on hyper alert any more! I'm so sorry!" She was looking at him in shock and...was that fear he saw in her beautiful brown eyes?  
  
He'd started to snarl when she'd struck him, but he stopped himself. He watched her pick scramble up from the ground where she'd fallen as she'd pushed herself out of his arms. Kouga sighed. He couldn't be mad at her, it had been an accident. She wasn't to blame. It had been instinct that had struck him, and he understood that. It was just more proof of the perfect mate she would be when he'd killed his competition.  
  
~ ~  
~ ~  
  
Sango tried to force open her eyes, convinced that she was going to be late for duty. The commander and most of the soldiers already had it in for her, and she didn't want to give them ammunition in their little war against her. She often wondered why she put herself through the torture, but she was far too stubborn to let the pigs win. She would tough it out until her term was over. By then she would've proved that women can fight with men, so she wouldn't have to deal with their garbage anymore.  
  
She gasped when she found herself on a stack of straw pallets in a small, sparsely furnished room. It looked like an attic room, or empty storage area. One thing was plain, however. She wasn't with her battalion anymore.  
  
She closed her eyes and searched her mind for a clue as to why she was there. A flood of memories rushed back, along with a sharp but less severe pain in her side. The memories didn't tell her where she was, however. The last thing she remembered was riding away from the bandits, and then she assumed she'd blacked out. It was a miracle that outlaws or exhaustion, or even blood loss or fever hadn't killed her yet.  
  
She carefully maneuvered her body so that she could look at her wound. It had been dressed and re-bandaged. It looked like a professional job, so she was pretty sure that the slim change she was a prisoner of war was ruled out. The people who owned the dwelling couldn't mean her any harm. If they did they wouldn't have treated her wound.  
  
She heard footsteps on the stairs and took a defensive stance, ignoring the wave of pain that radiated from her side. She wasn't going to be taken off guard by anyone, especially not in her current state. She looked around for a weapon and to her infinite relief she had her dagger within reaching distance. She would have preferred Hiraikotsu, but she knew that she was in no position to lift the giant bone boomerang.  
  
~  
  
Hanii lugged her medicines up the stairs to treat the patient. She opened the door Kagome's room, wedging her bare foot into the crack while she struggled to get a better grip on the salves and bandages. She pushed open the door and walked inside only to drop her medicine as a fierce, wild woman wielding a dangerous-looking knife confronted her. She almost fainted.  
  
She felt her grip slip and swore softly as the medicinal supplies she had struggled with fell on the floor and down the stairs. She didn't look away from the woman, however, or the knife. She was sure that to turn her back on the psychopath would be like signing a pact with Kikyo. Both would be fatal.  
  
She ran through a list of possible actions in her mind and decided to try to talk to her. "Hi...I'm Hanii, I'm the one who bandaged your side...you probably don't remember, but I'm not going to hurt you. Promise! So please just put down the knife..." She held her breath and waited. If she had been the religious type, she would've prayed, but that had never helped her before when she'd been in unstable situations before.  
  
~  
  
Sango listened to the girl's voice through a haze of pain and somehow managed to glean that the girl wasn't a threat. She knew that she should put down the knife but somehow her finger wouldn't unbend. She grimaced and wrenched her fingers away from the knife with her other hand, earning a scream from the girl in front of her.  
  
Sango was aware of how she must look, with her tousled hair and unsteady stance. She was sure the pain had done nothing for her complexion or her facial expression, and she hadn't bathed since God knew when. And it probably didn't help that she was carrying a very sharp, threatening dagger. She dropped it and heard it clatter dimly. She knew that she was about to pass out. She shouldn't have stood up, but she wanted to let the girl know that she wasn't going to hurt her.  
  
"I'm...sorry, I didn't know who...was coming up the stairs, I didn't want...to be caught unpre-pre-pared," she managed to gasp out, fighting collapse. She lost the battle.  
  
*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Ok yes I know it sucks A LOT but I'm going to start the romances REALLY soon, I promise! Probably next chappie or something...anyways, please review and many thanks to the few who did!!!! I love you guys!!!! (Shame on the rest of you) 


	7. For Fear of Kikyo

Chapter 6  
  
Kagome sighed and gathered the wash from the outside clothesline. She'd been working at the manor for about a week or two and had fallen into a comfortable if hectic, routine. Wake early, do wash, hang it up to dry, make breakfast and bring in the clothes from the day before with her friend and fellow servant Hanii. Then she would check on the wounded knight, who was healing very nicely; something Kagome suspected Hanii was responsible for, try to gently break the bad news to Kouga that she couldn't marry/mate him, avoid the Lady Kikyo and go to town with her friend to pick up supplies. She would then come back and help Hanii make salves and medicines for the household and administer them, as they were needed.  
  
Kagome was actually very fond of Hanii and she'd become very good friends with her. She'd even found out that she had a thing for Kouga, and kagome could see why, but Kouga was far too impulsive for her. Besides, marrying a noble would force her back into the upper society, a place she never wanted to enter again. Another downside was the fact that she would be privy to his every whim and want, and she refused to subject herself to that again.  
  
Although that's what she did with the Lady of the house. Kikyo seemed to have it in for her, and if she ran into her it was sure to mean extra work. She supposed it was because she didn't want her precious son marrying some low-life servant, but it seemed to be more than that. And she had been steering Kagome away from Dai very efficiently.  
  
Kagome refused to be driven away, however. She finally had a safe and secure shelter and she wasn't afraid to work for it. Besides, things like doing the wash and tending the Lady Knight weren't really chores. Doing wash, she got to spend time outside in the fresh air, something she hadn't appreciated as much as when she hadn't had an inside to go back to. Now that she did, the outdoors were much more alluring.  
  
And Lady Sango was very polite and gracious. Her noble rearing was highly evident in the way she spoke and the way she held herself, and Kagome enjoyed being around her. They would chat while Kagome was tending her wounds, and she'd even learned a few basic defensive moves from Sango's coaching. It was Kagome's secret, selfish hope that once Sango got better she wouldn't return to her family but stay with them.  
  
It was possible that Sango's family was dead or perhaps had refused to have contact with her, because in all of the time that she had been there she had received only one letter. The one letter had caused her to cry, but Sango didn't know that Kagome had seen her tears. Kagome refused to bruise Sango's pride by telling her that she had.  
  
Kagome couldn't find the basket that she used to carry the clothes in, and there was no way that she could carry all of the clothes inside without one and still have time to meet Hanii and go to village. She also needed to tend Lady Sango's injury, and she needed more time. If she was going to be honest with herself, she was afraid of Kikyo. The woman positively radiated a malicious energy, almost strong enough for her to see. So she wasn't going to skimp out on any of her chores.  
  
She mentally listed the places where it could be and decided it was probably in that little clearing, the one with the big tree, next to the hot springs. The hot springs were where they washed all of the clothes, and then they usually dragged them back to dry.  
  
But that morning Kouga had showed up and insisted on carrying the clothes back for her. Kagome shook her head at the memory. The boy still thought that she was going to be his mate as long as he killed her fiancé. The one that she didn't have.  
  
Kagome bit her lip, thinking. She probably had time to go get it if she ran, and it would definitely be faster than making four or five trips to get the clothes into the house and to their respective rooms. She hitched up her skirt and took off for the forest.  
  
She arrived at the grove, panting slightly. She had made it there in about a sixth of the time it normally took her when she walked. She spotted the basket and went to drag it back towards the manor when she heard a rustle in the tree above her head.  
  
Kagome stiffened. She hadn't lost the wariness that living on the streets had given her. She was ready to bolt when she remembered Kikyo. She internally cursed the "over-bearing, power-hungry, paranoid, whore-like, over-bred, schizophrenic sluttish bitch." (0.0 Kagome may have a few anger issues to work out...) She turned back towards the tree and tried to tiptoe up to her basket when a loud "Feh!" stopped her dead in her tracks.  
  
Kagome couldn't move, but she could hear her heart beating. She waited for the gruesome, bloody end, thinking that maybe a few extra trips wouldn't have been so bad. Then Inuyasha, the youngest son from the manor dropped out of the tree. Kagome did a face-vault, relieved and a little disgusted with herself for her paranoia.  
  
"Umm...hi..." she managed shakily. Her only response was a flick of long silver hair as he turned away.  
  
She fought to control her temper. He'd scared ten years out of her, the least he could do was be polite! He'd been nothing but a jerk since the first time she'd talked to him, he was always so rude to her! She forgot that she was a servant and proceeded to tell him exactly how she felt.  
  
"You insensitive jerk! You sit in your stupid tree and make weird noises, then you jump DOWN from your tree and scare me half to death! And THEN you don't apologize or even say 'Hi' back to me! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?! I was always pleasant to you! I know you don't like me that much but I'm staying and you should just learn to live with it! GOT THAT?!" She took a deep breath to stop herself from screaming again and tried to calm down.  
  
Inuyasha stared at the red-faced girl in disbelief. He hadn't known that a female could be that scary, other then his stepmother Kikyo. He'd pegged Kagome as quiet and unassuming, but apparently he'd been wrong. He would also be damned if he was going to let her talk to him like that, no matter how frightening she might be. He snapped his mouth shut and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Oh yea? Well, you're stupid if you're scared of the things that go shake in the bushes. Or maybe that's what happens when you're a weakling, stupid shit scares you. Stupid bitch, you come in and bother me when I'm trying to sleep and then yell at me for scaring you. Pathetic." He was slightly alarmed to see a vein throbbing in her forehead, but didn't let it show on his face.  
  
Kagome's face turned redder, something that he hadn't known was possible. She seemed to grow a foot and her face was furious enough to send a grown man running for cover. "You JERK! I'm not weak, and I'm NOT pathetic! Just because you hide in trees and wait to fall on people's heads doesn't mean that I'm scared of everything! It just makes you an un-educated JACKASS!!"  
  
Kagome looked shocked for a moment, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. She seemed to be coming back to reality quickly, and amazingly getting over her fury at the same time. Inuyasha sent rushed but sincere thanks to his collective gods.  
  
"Oh. I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have yelled at you like that! I just lost my temper, and I haven't had enough sleep for WEEKS now. But that doesn't excuse my poor behavior, and I really didn't mean a word of those insults! Well, maybe a few, but I really do regret them, truly. Just...please don't tell your mother?" With the last few words she looked beseechingly up at him, fear and hope evident in her soulful brown eyes.  
  
"Feh. She's not my mother." Inuyasha couldn't think of anything to say that meant that it was all right, he wasn't mad at her with out making himself sound weak. So he changed the subject, hoping that she would never lose her temper with him again. His half-brother, now...that was a different story. He would love to see Kouga have his ill-proven affections thrown back in his face.  
  
While Inuyasha was imagining his brother's humiliation, Kagome was trying to figure something out. 'If Kikyo isn't his mother, then why is he living like the son of a noble? If he was a bastard blowback of Lord Dai's, it's REALLY unlikely that Kikyo would even accept him as a PEASANT working the lands. She doesn't seem to be the tolerant type.' She figured that she had effectively screwed herself already, and Lady Kikyo was going to kill her for being late already, so why not ask him one more thing? He didn't look like he was going to turn her in to Kikyo, and she was sick to death of playing the dutiful servant. She wanted to be normal again, and it seemed that being nosy would be a good first step.  
  
"Kikyo isn't your mother?" she inquired. "Then why do you live here? In my manor-I mean where I worked before- I'm pretty sure you would've been kicked out. Or never allowed in." She knew that she was being incredibly rude, and to the son of her new Master, no less. But to tell the truth she was still mad at him for what he'd said to her before and she hadn't entirely let it go.  
  
"No." he stated shortly, turning away from her. But something honestly curious in her voice made him explain himself anyway. "Dai IS my real father, but my mother wasn't his wife. She was a poor village wench who had a pretty face and soft voice." A hint of bitterness crept into his voice. "My father never could resist the pretty, innocent ones. He still can't. Either way, she threatened him, and I got to stay. How wonderful for me," he finished sarcastically.  
  
Inuyasha vividly remembered the last time he'd told someone the truth about his past. It had been a girl from the village, the smith's daughter, who he was courting. When she found out about his blemished bloodlines, she'd broken off their relationship. He strongly suspected that she'd been hoping to marry a rich noble to bring her out of her current impoverished state and had chosen him only because he was noble.  
  
He expected Kagome to gasp and make a hurried excuse as to why she couldn't stay and chat. Everyone else did, and he wasn't sure if it was because he was half-demon or half human. Or maybe it was because he was half noble. Either way, everyone he let himself care about turned him away. It was better that she leave, better that THEY leave.  
  
However, the expected gasp of horror didn't come like he'd expected it to. Instead he heard her mutter something about bastard fathers who couldn't remain faithful to their wives or children. Then she put her hand on his shoulder and told him, "Well, you know, I'm actually kind of glad that you're here. And your mother must've loved you, to go against a powerful man like Dai for you. He easily could've killed you both, and I'm sure she knew it."  
  
Kagome felt awful for the poor hanyou. He'd been shunned by those he'd loved all of his life, and before she knew it she was trying to comfort him. It couldn't have been easy, living his life. He tried to put on a brave face, but now she could see underneath the mask, if only a tiny bit. And what she glimpsed made her heart bleed.  
  
She marveled that only a moment ago she'd been screaming at him, absolutely furious at the fact that he would dare say things like that to her. She sighed. Recently her emotions seemed to be a wild fair-ride with many humps and valleys.  
  
The pity that she felt pouring out of herself towards the obnoxious hanyou shocked even her, and she'd always been one to try to heal birds with broken wings. It looked as if this bird would need a lot of healing, but she was willing to try. In fact, she was more than willing. She was determined.  
  
Sango was going slowly insane, being locked in the small room. She'd found out that the aloof Sesshomaru had, for reasons unknown, decided to bring her back to his lands and get people to care for her. She was grateful, but still it puzzled her.  
  
She knew that it wasn't a matter of debt, or duty. He owed her nothing, and besides, he seemed to hate the ningen race. And it certainly couldn't be that he had romantic feelings for him. She didn't imagine that she was attractive to anyone but Miroku, who usually used the excuse of "checking on you only, my dear Lady Sango" to feel her more...private areas. She suspected that the thought of her lying on a bed was too much for the poor pervert. She was fairly certain that it couldn't be anything else.  
  
She did little to try to appear beautiful, and she was far from dainty. Her muscles were over-developed and her breasts were usually bound, and she was sure that the fact that she wore pants and pulled her hair back without decorative or elaborate styles did nothing to enhance her looks. It wasn't as though she ever planned to get married.  
  
Especially not now that she had no family to go back to. The only contact that she'd had with them was a note once she'd arrived at the manor telling her that as far as they were concerned they no longer had a daughter. They'd also told her to never contact them again and requested that she change her name, so as not to shame them. There had been no explanation.  
  
Sango had then shamed herself by crying. Her family had never been flawless, but she'd also never not loved them, and she'd always assumed that they loved her too. They'd certainly acted as though they did, and she couldn't imagine why they were doing that to her. So she'd stopped staring at her mother's fancy handwriting and her father's sealing wax with the family crest pressed into it, called Kirara over to herself and cried herself dry into her soft fur.  
  
Sango shook herself out of her memories and debated what she should do about exercise. She couldn't just sit in her bed any longer; it just wouldn't work for her. Perhaps she could ask Kagome what she could do when she came in to check on her.  
  
Kagome was another puzzle to Sango. The girl was obviously not a peasant, she had too many signs of noble rearing. She was well-spoken, educated, gentle, and her hands were not those of the working class. She had few calluses, and she held far too well to be peasant-born. Besides, she had taken a book form the library and read it last night. Only nobles and scholars could read, but Kagome was just a maid.  
  
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~  
  
OK, yea it's a little melodramatic and really boring, but I'm trying. REALLY soon she's going to reject Kouga PERMANENTLY and Sesshy's going to come home...(EEEE!!!!! SESSHY!) so it should pick up soon. 


End file.
